Image via WikipediaNo one ever chooses Alzheimer's disease. Given a choice of Alzheimer's or cancer, many people would choose cancer. Why? Cancer victims are usually allowed to maintain their dignity. They are still given respect. Their fight is seen as brave and valiant. People who struggle with mental illnesses are not always given the same respect. This seems especially true for those who have been victimized by Alzheimer's. They lose everything, including their dignity. They are seen as "crazy people" and often become the subject of distasteful jokes. People who are not familiar with Alzheimer's disease don't understand their struggles and many will try to avoid those who are sick with this disease. Alzheimer's caregivers have the task of restoring dignity and respect to the unfortunate victims of Alzheimer's.
Here are some tips to help caregivers accomplish this goal:
• Never discuss Alzheimer's disease or the fact that the person has Alzheimer's in front of them. No one knows how much the sick person understands. Suppose they understand the conversation but are unable to organize their thoughts or vocalize them at the time. Discussing their condition in front of the person seems heartless, and yet it happens all the time. If you experience this happening in a care facility, express your feelings and ask that the staff refrain from doing this in front of your loved one. When this happened to my aunt, she was upset by the conversation. There's no excuse for inflicting any more pain on those who have already lost so much to their disease. A considerate caregiver will be careful to avoid such situations.
• Make it a priority to familiarize others around your loved one with who they were before the onset of their disease. Help other people appreciate their accomplishments and interests. Teach others to see them as someone of value who has loved and been loved. Remind people that they are still capable of loving even with Alzheimer's. Naturally, they still need love, too.
• Be patient with them. Their unpredictable behavior will not always be pleasant. Try not to take it personally when they become difficult. Remember they have a disease and cannot be held accountable for their actions. This isn't always easy, but is an absolute necessity for all Alzheimer's caregivers.
• Keep the person's appearance neat and clean. Issues like incontinence and refusing to bathe will complicate this, but we see this as a dignity issue, too. My aunt always loved dressing nicely. Since we became responsible for her care, we've worked to maintain her previous appearance as closely as possible. Even with Alzheimer's, she is still concerned that her clothes match and that she feels confident about how she looks. This includes keeping her hair combed and make-up done nicely.
• Maintain as much "normalcy" as possible in the person's daily life. Include activities that they enjoy and social interaction whenever possible. Make necessary adaptations to accomplish this. Try to focus on seeing the person as "living with Alzheimer's" instead of "dying with a terminal illness." One little woman with Alzheimer's told me once, "I'm going to live until I die." Allow the one in your life who struggles with Alzheimer's to do the same.
• Take any opportunity to educate people about Alzheimer's disease and how it impacts its victims. Perhaps a better understanding of this disease will help people become more comfortable around those who suffer with it.
The demands are enormous on those responsible for Alzheimer's care. One of the most loving and kind contributions an Alzheimer's caregiver can make is to give dignity to the one who is sick.
Here are some tips to help caregivers accomplish this goal:
• Never discuss Alzheimer's disease or the fact that the person has Alzheimer's in front of them. No one knows how much the sick person understands. Suppose they understand the conversation but are unable to organize their thoughts or vocalize them at the time. Discussing their condition in front of the person seems heartless, and yet it happens all the time. If you experience this happening in a care facility, express your feelings and ask that the staff refrain from doing this in front of your loved one. When this happened to my aunt, she was upset by the conversation. There's no excuse for inflicting any more pain on those who have already lost so much to their disease. A considerate caregiver will be careful to avoid such situations.
• Make it a priority to familiarize others around your loved one with who they were before the onset of their disease. Help other people appreciate their accomplishments and interests. Teach others to see them as someone of value who has loved and been loved. Remind people that they are still capable of loving even with Alzheimer's. Naturally, they still need love, too.
• Be patient with them. Their unpredictable behavior will not always be pleasant. Try not to take it personally when they become difficult. Remember they have a disease and cannot be held accountable for their actions. This isn't always easy, but is an absolute necessity for all Alzheimer's caregivers.
• Keep the person's appearance neat and clean. Issues like incontinence and refusing to bathe will complicate this, but we see this as a dignity issue, too. My aunt always loved dressing nicely. Since we became responsible for her care, we've worked to maintain her previous appearance as closely as possible. Even with Alzheimer's, she is still concerned that her clothes match and that she feels confident about how she looks. This includes keeping her hair combed and make-up done nicely.
• Maintain as much "normalcy" as possible in the person's daily life. Include activities that they enjoy and social interaction whenever possible. Make necessary adaptations to accomplish this. Try to focus on seeing the person as "living with Alzheimer's" instead of "dying with a terminal illness." One little woman with Alzheimer's told me once, "I'm going to live until I die." Allow the one in your life who struggles with Alzheimer's to do the same.
• Take any opportunity to educate people about Alzheimer's disease and how it impacts its victims. Perhaps a better understanding of this disease will help people become more comfortable around those who suffer with it.
The demands are enormous on those responsible for Alzheimer's care. One of the most loving and kind contributions an Alzheimer's caregiver can make is to give dignity to the one who is sick.
Having traveled the road herself, Lisa W. Smith is an expert at helping Alzheimer's caregivers cope with the emotional, financial, and legal stress of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. She has created an electrifying report, "An Alzheimer's Horror Story: Killing Her Slowly!" which highlights part of this journey. For a FREE copy of this report, visit: http://www.AlzheimersOnlineTips.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_W._Smith
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